Giganotosaurus fossil map
Where fossils of Giganotosaurus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 115 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 115 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Theropods |
|---|---|
| Lived | 113.2–106.3 million years ago (Albian) |
| Periods | Cretaceous |
| Family | Carcharodontosauridae |
| Named by | Coria and Salgado 1995 |
| Fossil records | 4 occurrences at 4 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Argentina |
| Rock formations | Candeleros, Huincul |
About Giganotosaurus
Giganotosaurus ( GIG-ə-NOH-tə-SOR-əs) is a genus of large theropod dinosaur that lived in what is now Argentina, during the Albian age of the Early Cretaceous period, approximately 111 to 106 million years ago. The holotype specimen was discovered in the Candeleros Formation of Patagonia in 1993 and is almost 70% complete. The animal was named Giganotosaurus carolinii in 1995; the genus name translates to "giant southern lizard", and the specific name honors the discoverer, Ruben Carolini. A dentary bone, a tooth, and some tracks, discovered before the holotype, were later assigned to this animal. The genus attracted much interest and became part of a scientific debate about the maximum sizes of theropod dinosaurs.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Giganotosaurus (revision 1373798838), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 22 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q14438.
